Breast cancer strikes down too many women in the prime of their lives. The New York State
Cancer Registry reports that about 2,263 women in their forties are diagnosed with breast
cancer every year, 325 of whom succumb to the disease.

Because early screening and detection are the keys to defeating breast cancer,
Assemblywoman Lifton sponsored a measure to make mammograms more accessible
by eliminating deductible or co-pay requirements for women over the age of 40
(A.7927).

Helping with recovery

For the tens of thousands of New York women and men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer,
the counseling, education, and outreach services provided by community groups are an integral part of recovery.
To encourage the development of critical networks and access to breast cancer information and support,
Assemblywoman Lifton introduced legislation that would allow community-based groups to receive
funding through the Breast Cancer Detection and Education Advisory Council
(A.6317).

Fighting to end wage discrimination

Pay equity is about fairness. A recent congressional study indicates that women are paid an average of
79.7 cents for every dollar paid to men, versus 80.4 cents in 1983. Over a working lifetime, that means a lot
in lost wages that could go toward bills, rent and saving for a better future.

The difficulties that arise from wage discrimination go beyond financial burdens. There are also the challenges
a person endures due to a lack of independence, security and opportunity. This wage gap impacts
Social Security benefits and pensions — forcing women and their families to shoulder the burden of
wage discrimination long after they’ve stopped working.

Assemblywoman Lifton supports legislation designed to end wage discrimination in New York that
would amend the state Labor Law to provide pay equity for all people who perform work of comparable skill,
effort and responsibility (A.6252).

To help achieve pay equity for all New Yorkers, Assemblywoman Lifton also supports legislation:

Implementing a state policy of equal compensation for work of comparable worth for state and public
employees (A.737)

Allowing groups of workers with similar complaints to file them together — helping individuals fighting discrimination
to defray the costs associated with filing a complaint alone (A.148)

Enacting the New York State Fair Pay Act — ensuring pay differentiation is not based on a person’s sex,
race, or national origin (A.6701)

Paying for early breast cancer detection can
be difficult for women of modest means.
Fortunately, there are increasingly more life-saving
screenings available to women who feel they
cannot afford to get a mammogram. Here are
a few important breast cancer resources: